Smuggler's Den
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 (2002) |architects = unknown Humans |ownership = unknown Humans |inhabitants = Thugs, Thieves, Sarafan guards, Peasants, Industrial workers, Glyphwrights |status = intact (as of post-Blood Omen era) |equipment = Spiked Club, Dagger, Long Sword |items = Red Lore coffers (7) Weapon power chests (2) |appearances = }}The Smuggler's Den, also known simply as The Den, is a playable location in Meridian featured in ''Blood Omen 2'' . Chapter 2: Creatures of the Night takes place entirely in The Den. Role After leaving the Slums in Chapter 1, Kain: "I was told to find the Smuggler’s Den."//'Dimitri:' "You’re a stone’s throw from the entrance."/~He pulls the lever, opening the gate. A stalker watches some distance off.~/'Dimitri:' "Go through, it will lead you to Smuggler's Den. Careful, though. There's rogues down that’ll attack you on sight."//'Kain:' "Then they will die." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain found himself in The Smuggler's Den. Like the Slums before it, the Smuggler's Den was an old run-down part of the city that encompassed many different environments;including paved streets and back alleys, store rooms and cellars, a church with a small graveyard and an Industrial complex, as well as several waterside areas with wooden walkways. The Den was mainly inhabited by Thugs and Thieves , but given it's black market connections, the Sarafan were also seen here; with Kain encountering his first Sarafan guards in The Den . Umah: "Welcome to one of the “glories” of our fair city, the Smuggler's Den. As squalid as you found the Slums, you will find this place even more offensive. Rogues and thieves rule the streets, and of course the Sarafan too have their own dealings here. You may expect small help from the inhabitants, and more trouble." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Creatures of the Night: "On his own, Kain wanders deeper into the heart of Meridian, searching for sanctuary and a rendezvous with an unknown leader of the vampire resistance. Unbeknownst to him, a ghost from his past is hot on his trail: a former member of Kain's legion now working to destroy the vampire race. The smuggler's den is populated mostly with thieves, but the Sarafan have a presence there as well." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 16. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 On Umah 's advice, Kain sought the Smuggler's Tunnel in The Den to allow him passage to the Lower City (and Sanctuary). As Umah did not know where the Smuggler's Tunnel was, she sent word to the Cabal. Kain: "I do not require their hospitality. You spoke of a Smuggler’s Tunnel I must find?"//'Umah:' "Yes, it is hidden somewhere in this district, I know not where. I have sent word to a member of the Cabal to help you. You will find him at the tavern, deep within this district."//'Kain:' "How will I know this – person?"//'Umah:' "He will know you. Find the tavern quickly. We will speak again later." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain was able to meet a Cabal Contact in The Tavern Objective 1: Find the T&A Tavern "A Cabal agent will meet you at the local tavern. He's got information you need: the location of the smuggler's tunnel that will take you into the lower city." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 16. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 who directed him to a lift beyond the church, Cabal Contact: "The Smuggler’s Tunnel you seek is hidden in a cavern underground. The thieves enter by way of the Church, outside. But there is no entrance there for any but themselves. You, sir, must go beyond the Church and find a lift. This will take you underground."//'Kain:' "Where, precisely, is this lift?"//'Cabal Contact:' "In a collapsed section of the district beyond the Church. The Church, remember sir, is forbidden to all but the thieves. The guards there will attack you, should they but lay eyes on you."//'Kain:' "I will be most careful." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Objective 2: Find the Smuggler's Tunnel beyond the Church "Even though you now know where it is, you'll still have to get there. Beyond the church you'll find a maze-like complex of steam pipes and machinery." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 18. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 which took him underground to the industrial complex (populated with Industrial Quarter workers) and through to the Smuggler's Tunnel. On his way through the 'Furnace Room' Kain encountered his first traitor vampire, former legionnaire Faustus (see also Faustus (boss)). Objective 3: Defeat the Traitor Faustus "Faustus is the first of many old friends who become foes. He's doing the bidding of his master, the Sarafan Lord, trying to prevent you from reaching the tunnel. You must survive a three-stage battle in order to defeat him." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 22-23. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 After a brief battle, Kain was able to use Mist to hide from Faustus' attacks and turn on the furnaces, killing him and allowing Kain to gain the Dark Gift Jump. Jump: "(Gained by defeating Faustus in Chapter 2) Helps Kain leap great distances." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 2.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Kain was then able to proceed through The Smuggler's Tunnel to the Lower City . "Looks like you've finally found the smuggler's tunnel that the Cabal agent told you about. Walk inside and prepare to be reunited with Umah in the lower city." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 23. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Notes *The name given to the Smuggler's Den may imply (like the similarly named Smuggler's Tunnel) that the Den has a lot of links to the black market, which may explain the businesses seen here; it may also be linked to the outlaw Smugglers seen later in Chapter 7: The Canyons . Both Umah and the Cabal Contact in the Slums comment on the"rogues" that inhabit the Den. *Given Umah's comments regarding the age of the Slums, (~Kain sees Umah standing on a ledge above him.~) Umah: "Welcome to the Slums, Kain. We are in the oldest and most decrepit part of the city, where few people dare to come. A perfect place to train you."//'Kain:' "Train me? Do you take me for a dog?"//'Umah:' "Your memory has been shattered, and your body has lain dormant for two hundred years. What skills you had must be recovered before you can be of any use to the Cabal. You must learn to fight, and to survive." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. it seems likely that the Smuggler's Den is also one of the older parts of Meridian. Maps place the Smuggler's Den as sharing an island with the Slums, separated from the mainland by a body of water (likely the Great Southern Sea), with the only crossing being the bridge Blood Omen 2 Maps at Nosgothic Realm. Umah: "Ahead is the market where the common dregs of Meridian engage in their filthy commerce. Beyond the market is the bridge that leads to the Lower City. Make your way east to the bridge. I shall meet you there." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. (seen briefly in Chapter 1 behind a Glyph Guard ) and the Smuggler's Tunnel. Umah: "Kain – you must find a way to reach the Lower City. The Smuggler’s Tunnel will take you there." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. The Den also continues the Slums theme of things appearing run-down (though less so than in the Slums). Doors are still boarded up, but building appearance improves through the level, culminating in a 'main street' filled with Mock-Tudor houses . *There are a variety of signs in the Smuggler's Den, most of which are on the 'main street' and have simplified 'icon' signs (presumably for businesses) signs seen in the Smuggler's Den include: A Fish, An Anvil, A Moon and A Horse. The final section of the level also features an unusual sign on a fence that reads "No Trespassing" - although there is only a small ledge behind it . *Contrary to many drinking establishments in Nosgoth, the Tavern featured in the The Den is simply called "The Tavern" in the script and in retail version of the game;''Prima's Official Blood Omen 2 Guide'' gives it's name as the "T&A Tavern ", which also features on screenshots of the sign featured in the guide.The Tavern also seems to have a nearby competing bar, whose cellar Kain passes through before reaching the main street. Upon meeting the Cabal contact in The T&A Tavern, the barkeep will call for the Sarafan, who promptly rush to the outside of the establishment and stare through the windows without entering; Kain can comfortably kill the entire population of the bar in front of them, with no negative consequences. Kain cannot reach the Sarafan Guards outside himself (as the door, despite glowing, is locked), or the Barkeeper (in a possible nod to ''Blood Omen'' Tavern Keepers ) *The Cabal Contact notes that the church in The Den is overrun with Thieves who use the church to enter the Smuggler's Tunnel; yet the industrial complex (filled with workers and Sarafan Guards) has to be negotiated before Kain could reach the Smuggler's Tunnel. The Smuggler's Tunnel may therefore have been a significant risk to those who used it. The Industrial complex is also frequently marked with the Sarafan symbol (although the doors to Faustus' Boss battle seem to bear the Christian 'Cross' symbol). Most of the workings of the Industrial Complex appear to rely not on Glyph Energy, but on Steam Power. In a particularly cruel execution, Kain can even divert some of this steam to scold two workers to death . Puzzle: Steamed Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2(2002). Page 20. ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 *As Kain uses the lift to descend into the underground Industrial Complex, several Glyphwrights are seen vanishing as Kain enters and one can later be seen conversing with Faustus; perhaps suggesting that the industrial complex has some importance to the Hylden plan. Kain can eventually reach the ledge where Faustus met with a Glyphwright (seen in a video part-way through the level) but by the time he does, both Faustus and the Glyphwright have moved and there is nothing special there . *The Smuggler's Den level was noted by designer Paul Cazarez as having been redesigned during development (with the original design for the level allowing the player to see all they way from start to finish);for memory purposes, sections were cut up and re-arranged to mask loading times Blood Omen 2 Designer Diary #3(Page 1) at GameSpot (by Paul Cazarez) (a notable leftover that can be observed in the final game is the position of the moon which swaps sides depending upon the part of the level Kain was in Still on Maps Thread at the Eidos Forums (by Shrykull) ). The level was also designed to give the player the oppurtunity to backtrack so that the scenery would not be wasted and many early encounters and puzzles were designed to encourage players to use Kain's starting Dark Gifts - Fury and Mist. Gallery Smuggler's Den.png|Entrance to the Smuggler's Den BO2-Den-Inner.png|Den Piers and Walkways BO2-SD-Bar.png|The other tavern BO2-SD-Street.png|'Mock Tudor Main Street' (with icon signs) DenTavern.png|The Tavern on the 'Mock Tudor Main Street' BO2-Den-Churchyard-Inner.png|The Church in the Den BO2-Den-Industrial Entrance-Wide.png|The Industrial Complex BO2-Den-Industrial Entrance.png|The Industrial Complex with Sarafan Insignia DenIndustrial.png|The sarafan industrial complex at the end of the den BO2-SDen-IndComSymbols.png|symbols used throughout Den industrial Complex See also *''Chapter 2: Creatures of the Night '' * Chapter 2: The Den - "Creatures of the Night" Script at Nosgothic Realm * Chapter Two - The Den - "Creatures Of The Night" Script at Dark Chronicle * Conversations in Nosgoth - Chapter Two at Dark Chronicle References }} Category:Areas within Meridian Category:Blood Omen 2 areas Category:Blood Omen 2 locations Category:Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 Category:Locations